— "Lani, you're quieter today... did something happen?"
— a follower's message glowed in the chat amidst a cascade of emojis.
Sasha forced a smile that her avatar translated perfectly as a sweet and comforting gesture. She adjusted the microphone, maintaining the soft tone that was her trademark.
— I'm just reflecting a bit, everyone
— Lani's voice came through the filter, sounding like a wind chime.
— Sometimes we meet people who seem like they stepped out of a thriller movie. Someone you were sure was the villain, but who ends up acting in a way that's... unexpected.
She made Lani tilt her head, the digital strands of hair swaying with impeccable physics.
— What would you do if the most arrogant person you ever met did something right for the wrong reason? It's confusing, right? But don't worry, Lani is safe. I'm just learning that reality has many more layers than an anime script.
After another hour of interaction, she said goodbye with her usual peace sign.
— Until next time, little stars. Keep your brightness... and take care on your way back home.
As soon as the OFFLINE sign glowed on the monitor, Sasha removed her headphones. The silence of the room felt heavy. She leaned back in her chair, staring at the now dark screen. The image of Scott
— not the ruthless businessman, but the man who wiped his fists with a silk handkerchief after saving her
— wouldn't leave her mind.
— "Insects like that only understand the language of force"
— she whispered, repeating his words.
Sasha hesitated, but curiosity was stronger. She opened the browser and typed: "Phantom Frequency - Independent Talent Agency."
What Was Hidden Beneath the "Shadow"
She expected to find complaints and abusive contracts, but what she found in closed creator forums left her surprised:
Data Protection: Phantom was known for having the most impenetrable servers for Vtubers. No talent under Scott's guard had ever had their real identity ("doxxing") leaked.
Creative Freedom: Unlike traditional agencies, the contract guaranteed that the creator maintained the soul of the character, while the agency handled the commercial "shielding."
Earnings: Sasha opened the proposal Scott had sent weeks before, which she had barely read. The numbers were astronomical. What she would earn in a month at Phantom was equivalent to almost a year of spontaneous donations in her current lives.
Sasha felt a flutter in her stomach. Scott was a narcissist who thought he was the center of the universe, but he also seemed to be the only one capable of offering a real suit of armor for Lani.
— He is unbearable
— she whispered to the monitor, seeing her own reflection in the turned-off screen.
— But he is the best at what he does. And maybe... maybe I need someone like that to get where I want to go.
She thought of Isaac and the coffee shop. But then she looked at the simple equipment on her desk. The "villain" wasn't just offering money; he was offering power. And for the first time, Sasha felt she was ready to stop hiding in the shadows and start shining with the intensity Scott saw in her.
The scent of cinnamon and the glow of fairy lights in the coffee shop still reverberated in Sasha's mind, but the peace of the establishment's anniversary celebration seemed to have been left behind. That morning, the movement was calm, and she took a moment off to sit with Isaac at one of the tables in the back.
Sasha watched the reflection of light in her coffee, the silence between the two being filled only by the low sound of the kitchen radio. Isaac watched her, knowing that since the previous night's incident, her gaze was different.
— You're very silent, Sasha
— Isaac said, breaking the ice gently.
— Are you still scared about what happened in the alley?
Sasha looked up, sighing.
— It's not just the scare, Isaac. It's the way it all ended. I spent the night thinking about what Scott said in the car. About the "flaws in the structure," about how he struggles to maintain that impeccable image.
Isaac frowned, but his tone wasn't aggressive, just cautious.
— He helped, I admit. But Scott lives in a world of appearances, Sasha. He sees everything as a business, including people.
— I used to think that too
— she replied, leaning forward.
— But after I ended Lani's live yesterday, I decided to research Phantom Frequency. I didn't want to see his Instagram posts; I wanted to see the contracts. I wanted to understand why so many independent creators trust him.
Isaac crossed his arms, waiting.
— And what did you find that was so special?
— Security, Isaac. Real privacy
— Sasha explained, her voice gaining firmness.
— He has a structure for Vtubers that I could never afford alone. He protects the artists' identities as if it were a state secret. And the profits... with what he proposed, I could help Valentina renovate this place, I could ensure we wouldn't have to worry about next month.
Isaac looked at his own hands. He still felt a deep discomfort that Scott had been the "hero" of the night, but seeing the spark of hope in Sasha's eyes, his protective side began to give way to support.
— You really want to talk to him, don't you?
— I want to hear what he has to say without the weight of that fight in the street. But I won't go without you. I want you to be there, to read the clauses with me. If he is the manipulator we fear, we get up and leave. But what if he is the door Lani needs to grow?
Isaac let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair.
— All right. If it's important to you, I'll go. But I won't lower my guard. If he starts with that tone of superiority, I will intervene.
Sasha smiled, feeling immense relief, and squeezed his hand across the table.
The Meeting at Phantom Frequency
The next day, the couple walked through the mirrored corridor of the agency. The environment exuded modernity and success. When they entered Scott's office, he was standing, watching the city view through the immense window. He turned when he heard the door, and his expression, though serious, lacked the hardness of the night before.
— Punctual
— Scott said, walking toward the marble desk. He looked at Isaac and gave a brief nod, an almost imperceptible gesture of recognition.
— I'm pleased you came too, Isaac. I imagined Sasha would want a second opinion she trusts.
Isaac was surprised by the lack of sarcasm but stood firm beside Sasha.
— We are here to understand how this works in practice, Scott
— said Sasha, sitting down and indicating the chair next to her for Isaac.
— I researched Phantom. What you offer for Lani in terms of technology and security is impressive. But we want to know the price of it. And I'm not just talking about money.
Scott sat down in front of them, crossing his legs elegantly. He slid a brushed metal folder across the desk.
— The price is excellence, Sasha. I don't hire people to be mediocre. I hire talents to be the best in their categories.
He opened the folder, revealing financial projections and anonymity clauses.
— Here is what I prepared for Lani. Isaac, feel free to review the data security and privacy part. I guarantee there is no one in the market who protects a Vtuber's civil identity like we do. To the public, Sasha does not exist. Only Lani exists, and we will be the shield between the two.
Isaac took the papers, analyzing them carefully. The silence in the room was thick, but it was no longer charged with hatred, but with professional expectation.
— The earnings are...
— Isaac began, but stopped, impressed by the numbers.
— They are fair for the potential I see in her
— Scott completed, looking at Sasha with genuine respect.
— What I offer is a partnership. I provide the armor and the platform; you provide Lani's soul.
Sasha looked at Isaac, who nodded slightly, recognizing that, on paper, the contract was impeccable. She then turned her attention back to Scott.
— And what about my routine? I don't intend to abandon my friends or the coffee shop because of a digital persona.
Scott gave a half-smile, somewhat more human than usual.
— As long as you deliver the content and quality we agree on, what you do with your free time at the coffee shop is your business.
The silence in the Phantom Frequency room was palpable. Isaac kept his eyes fixed on the papers, impressed by the legal security Scott offered, but Sasha still had her pen suspended in the air. She looked at the contract and then at the man sitting in front of her, whose impeccable clothes and serene gaze hid the cracks she had glimpsed the night before.
— Scott
— she began, her voice soft but loaded with a curiosity that made Isaac raise his head.
— Before I put my name here... I need to understand one thing. You are a man who has the world at his feet. You have the best models, the biggest investors. Why the fascination with Lani? Why go so far for an "anime girl" whose face you had never seen until that day at the coffee shop?
Sasha hesitated for a second, searching for the right words.
— And, to be honest, after what you said in the car... I got curious. Who is the Scott that exists when the agency lights go out and the gold mask falls?
Scott shifted his gaze to the window. For a moment, his unshakable businessman posture faltered. He didn't answer immediately; instead, he stood up and walked to a sound system built into the wall. With a touch, a melody began to play softly
— it was one of the original songs Sasha had sung in one of her most intimate lives as Lani.
— My father never allowed silence
— Scott began, his voice lower and raspier than usual.
— To him, silence was a waste of time, and classical music was the only acceptable kind, because it represented order and discipline. He built every inch of who I am under pressure. If I wasn't perfect, I was invisible.
He turned to Sasha and Isaac. Scott's gaze was far away, lost in a memory.
— A few months ago, I had a breakdown. Not physical, but... structural. Phantom's numbers were dropping, my father was in my ear saying I was going to stain the family name, and I was in a hotel in Tokyo, alone, feeling like the air was running out. I opened a random streaming platform, just to drown out the screams of his voice in my head. And Lani was there.
Scott gave a small, sad smile, something Isaac never imagined seeing on that man's face.
— You were singing this song. It wasn't about perfection, it wasn't about brands. It was something... real. For the first time in years, my father's voice went silent. Your music pulled me out of a very dark place, Sasha. It made me forget who I "should" be.
Sasha felt a lump in her throat. She never imagined that her broadcasts, made from a simple room, had reached someone like him so deeply.
— I'm not fascinated by the "product" Lani
— Scott continued, returning to the desk.
— I'm fascinated by the ability you have to be authentic in a plastic world. I want Phantom to be the shield that allows you to keep being that free soul, without the world
— or people like my father
— destroying you.
Isaac, who until then had been on the defensive, relaxed his shoulders. He saw the sincerity in the way Scott gripped the edge of the table when talking about his father. For the first time, he didn't see a rival or a villain, but a man trying to protect the only thing that brought him peace.
Sasha looked at the pen in her hand. She no longer saw just a business contract; she saw a bridge between two worlds.
— Thank you for telling me that, Scott
— Sasha said, with a genuine smile.
— I think now I know exactly who I'm signing with.
With a firm movement, she signed the document.
Scott released the breath he seemed to be holding, a visible relief crossing his face. He extended his hand, not for a cold business handshake, but in a way that invited this new partnership.
— Welcome to Phantom, Sasha. Or rather... welcome home, Lani.
The sound of the pen sliding across the paper sealed Sasha's fate. Scott collected the document with almost ceremonial care, while Isaac, still processing the vulnerability the entrepreneur had just shown, exchanged a knowing look with his girlfriend.
— Now that the formalities are over
— Scott said, regaining some of his impeccable posture, though with a softer glow in his eyes
— I want to show you why I fought so hard for this contract.
He led them through a side corridor, where the glass walls gave way to dark oak acoustic panels. They stopped before a heavy metal door with a biometric reader. Scott placed his thumb on it and, with a pneumatic click, the door opened.
Lani's Sanctuary
Sasha let out an involuntary gasp. The space was immense yet welcoming. In the center, there was a state-of-the-art motion capture rig, surrounded by infrared cameras that looked like silent sentinels. In the back, a teal velvet sofa and a soundboard that looked more like a spaceship's control panel.
— This is your new habitat
— Scott announced, gesturing to the environment.
— The soundproofing is absolute. The motion sensors are the same ones used in major Hollywood productions. Lani is no longer just going to be an anime girl on a 2D screen; here, she will have weight, volume, and a fluidity that will leave your audience mesmerized.
Sasha walked to the center of the room, feeling the texture of the special flooring under her feet. She looked at the giant screens surrounding the area, where Lani's 3D model was already loaded, replicating her every small step with frightening precision.
The Conflict of Worlds
Isaac, though impressed, felt a pang in his chest. He saw Sasha there, surrounded by millions of dollars' worth of technology, and for a moment she seemed to belong to that world of luxury much more than to the simple apartment where they spent afternoons watching movies.
— It's incredible, Scott
— Sasha said, her voice echoing softly.
— But it's all so different from what I'm used to. I spend my days between my studies and afternoons with Isaac at Valentina's coffee shop... how am I going to balance this new life?
Scott walked to the soundboard and adjusted one of the controls, making the studio lights change to a deep violet tone, Lani's favorite shade.
— I don't want you to change your essence, Sasha. Your life out there, your common routine, is what feeds Lani's soul. I understand that now. But Lani... she needs room to fly. The schedule I prepared focuses on high-performance nightly productions. You continue with your normal life during the day, and at night, you come here and become the icon the world needs.
He looked at Isaac, almost as if asking for silent permission.
— I will provide private transportation for your coming and going. Total security. No one on the street will know that the girl who frequents that coffee shop on the corner is the same one moving thousands of people in this room.
Sasha looked at Isaac, who stepped closer and held her hand.
— It's your dream, Sah
— he whispered.
— We'll find a way. If I have to wait for you here at the door or bring you a snack in the middle of the night so you don't forget to eat, I'll do it.
The First Test
Scott handed Sasha a pair of motion capture gloves.
— Why don't we do a quick test? I want you to sing that snippet of the song that saved me in Tokyo. Only this time, use the new system. Let Lani feel your voice.
Sasha put on the gloves, feeling the weight of the responsibility. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and began to sing. On the giant monitor, the anime girl didn't just move her lips; her eyes glowed, her shoulders rose and fell with Sasha's breath, and every hand gesture was loaded with palpable emotion.
Scott watched from the shadows in the corner of the room, arms crossed. For a moment, he wasn't the owner of Phantom Frequency. He was just the man who, for an instant, finally managed to silence his father's demands.